Rumour Has It
by BePassionate24
Summary: All Human. AU. Requested One-Shot by TVDVampireKat. Katherine Pierce works in the world of retail as a clerk at Nordstrom's. But, what happens when things take a complicated turn as she finds herself stuck in a broken down elevator at the store with her ex boyfriend and the store's new security guard, Stefan Salvatore?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey all. Just a little AU one-shot that I wrote up. Not even sure if I will continue this. But, I might later on. :)**

* * *

**Rumor Has It**

Katherine Pierce wishes she could sit down and not have to deal with the people in the long lines in front of her. She wishes that she could just go home and sleep the day off. But, she needs this job more than she's ever needed anything else and so she shrugs it off and plasters a smile across her mouth, tasting her warm peach flavored lips, like she's on some sort of sugar high. However, there is one thing that Katherine wishes that she could keep staring at and yet, she hopes she could just go back to avoiding him...The young and handsome security guard that now works at her store. Her ex boyfriend, Stefan Salvatore.

They had broken up a few months ago after rumors about their relationship had spread around all the departments like wildfire. And, just as she's been trying to mend her broken heart and move on from him. Katherine has spotted him around the escalators a few times this week. Tonight, he's talking to one of her managers about something and glancing back at her more often than he has in the last few days. And, every time that he does it. She feels the butterflies in her stomach increase and her heart rate pick up just a little more.

"The more you stare at him, the more he's going to keep doing it back." Her co worker, Bonnie Bennett teases as she nudges Katherine's shoulder and turns back to her cash register with a wide grin. "I can help whoever is next!" She shouts as she winks at Katherine who has bent down to grab a paper bag with handles for one of her customer's stack of clothes.

"I just wish he'd talk to me." Katherine groans, throwing the receipt into her Mrs. Lamberts bag and telling her to have a good night, watching the old red haired lady give her a beaming smile as she says. "Men are complicated creatures, sweetheart. Maybe you, should talk to him." Before bidding both young workers a good night and leaving the checkout area.

"He can't risk it, Katherine. You know that relationships inside of the company are frowned upon and you being with Stefan was a huge 'no,no'" Bonnie adds, exhaling heavily and adjusting her diamond studded earrings as she finally takes a breather to notice that the line has died down and they've got two more people just about to walk up to her register.

"No one knew about us, Bonnie." Katherine replies, trying her hardest to really believe her own words. But, once she feels Bonnie place her hand on to her shoulder and laugh a little. She knows that her words are a false statement.

"No one knew about the two of you? Ha, Honey..Everyone knew!" She exclaims, shrugging her shoulders back and straightening out her thin red blouse as she walks over to a little old lady on the sales floor, trying to pick out a pair of jeans for herself.

Katherine shakes off Bonnie's words and quickly throws herself into her work, finally after a good twenty minutes goes by. She sighs out a breath and looks up from the catalog that one of her customers left behind, that's when she spots him again. He's wearing plain clothes this time around. A tight black t-shirt and a pair of loose fitting dark jeans with his black boots. He looks as handsome as he always has- she thinks as she continues to watch him walk around. His hair is a perfect tousled mess and Katherine wishes she could run her fingers through it once more..She misses him.

She quietly goes back to pretending that she didn't recognize him. Looking down again at the catalog and reading about the deals for their next sale date. That's when it happens, she get's interrupted by a knock on the counter top where she's been working at for the last two hours.

"I need to talk to you. Once you get a minute." Stefan suddenly says in a soft tone, watching her glance up at him. Her mouth is opened a bit, attempting to form words. But, nothing except for reluctancy and annoyance reach her tone.

"I'm busy." She shoots back because that's the only thing that she can think of- the best that she's got. While she stands there in front of him and feels her heart breaking at just the sight of him being near her.

"You don't look busy to me. Please, Katherine. It's important." He begs her, finally watching her brown eyes soften as she adjusts the necklace that he had given her a year earlier for their anniversary around her neck. He gives her a look, partly surprised that she still has it.

"Whatever it is, Stefan. It can wait until our shifts are over." She replies back, her eyes deadlocked this time on his face as he leans forward a bit. Both of his hands are flatly laying on the glistening white counter top when he states. "It can't wait. Meet me in the stock room, near the freight elevators. I'll go first and then you follow me." He concludes, turning away from her and heading towards the back as she crosses her arms over her chest and looks down at her throbbing feet that are wedged into her Steve Madden plum colored high heels.

* * *

"What do you want?" Katherine questions, watching him leaning against a dark colored stone wall when she finally walks into the stockroom. Boxes of merchandise are stacked up on one side beside him as he looks up at her and then he finally says. "Let's go somewhere a little more private."

"A little more private? Stefan, this isn't a damn date. You told me to come over here. So, here I am..Taking time out of my work night to talk to you. If I leave my area, my manager will notice and they'll call my name over the intercom. And, because of everything..I really don't want that to happen tonight." She retorts, hearing him let out a laugh, licking his lips and pushing himself off of the wall, slowly walking over to her.

"I wanted to say that I was sorry, okay? And, I wanted to see you, privately." He confesses, watching her brown eyes brighten as she tilts her head to the side and looks around the packed stockroom in total confusion.

"You wanted to apologize to me at work and in the stockroom? How romantic. Stefan, we're over! You made that very clear the last time we saw each other." She tells him, trying to hide her hostility that she still feels towards him, the anger simmering a bit as she watches him press the freight elevators button to go down.

"I know. And, I was an idiot. Now, let's walk and talk. Come on, in here." He says, pulling her by the arm and reluctantly into the elevator just as the doors close shut and Katherine rolls her eyes at him.

"This is against a lot of company rules and we could both get fired for it." Katherine murmurs as he laughs and glances over at her shaking his head when he adds. "Since when have you given a damn about rules?"

She looks down at her freshly french manicured nails and then back up at him as she flat out states. "Since I almost lost my job by getting involved with you and since everyone found out about us."

"Right. You're afraid of what everyone's going to think about you and me as a couple. Yeah, I seem to forget that." He says back at her, suddenly feeling the elevator come to an abrupt halt when they both stumble backwards and the screeching is heard as it just stops moving completely.

"What the hell!" Katherine exclaims, pushing herself up off the dirty floor when she hears Stefan exhale heavily, cursing under his breath. "We're stuck. The elevator's stuck." He explains, watching as her eyes widen and she blurts out "You've got to be kidding me!"

* * *

He misses her. Even if he's been trying to deny it for the last few hours. He can't and being stuck inside of the small space brings up faded memories of their time together. "For what it's worth. You should know that I really did love you. I still do." Stefan comments, watching Katherine lift her head up from her resting spot against the wall of the cabin.

"I know you did. But, you broke my heart." She chimes in softly. She's getting tired and annoyed, being stuck in the small space with her ex boyfriend wasn't how she had imagined the last three hours of her shift. Katherine heavily sighs as she tries to reach a signal on her cell phone and realizes that all the bars aren't even coming up at all. "I don't have a signal at all." She mumbles, leaning her head back against the wall and groaning out in what sounds like agony.

"I already called them an hour ago, remember? I used the call button over on the keypad. They said that the maintenance guy is on his way to get us out. He should be here soon." Stefan informs her, noticing that she's shivering a little and her hands are trembling.

"Come here." He tells her, watching as she lifts her head up again and shakes her head.

"I'm fine, Stefan." Katherine says in a tone that's barely , he knows her all too well. He knows that she's, trying to play it off as nothing and that she's lying to him- once again.. "It's your sugar, isn't it? I know that you have low blood sugar, Katherine." He asks as he can see her face fall just a little.

"I didn't eat anything at lunch. But, I thought I was going to be fine." She confesses, looking over at him when he stretches out his legs and pats the space between them, watching her slowly get up and reluctantly walk over to him, taking a seat in between his legs. Katherine rests her head against him when he places his arms around her, instinctively and protectively.

"I'm sorry too. For hurting you the way I did…" Her voice cracks a little when she feels his fingers tangle into her hair, placing his hand against her back and making small circles against her back, kissing the top of her head.

"I miss you." He admits. "I thought I wasn't going to miss you when we broke it off. But I do." He tells her, swallowing the lump in his throat as she inhales the scent of him. She misses him too. More than she could ever admit to anyone. But, she can't seem to find the right words to say, so she stays silent and listens to his heart beating against her ear instead. The rhythmic sound is calming as he tightens his arms around her and softly whispers. "We're going to be okay. I promise, help is on the way and I'm not going to let anything happen to you, Katherine."

* * *

He's not sure how long they've been trapped. But, he can see the relief on her face when the elevator begins to move again. Stefan pulls them up to their feet and holds on to her hand, smiling just a little when she doesn't pull away from his touch.

"Are you two alright?" The salt and pepper haired maintenance guy in a blue uniform with the name tag "Ralph" on it asks them, when the doors push open and he smiles up at the two ex- lovers that look exhausted and emotional from their time together.

"Yeah, we're fine." Katherine says with a hint of a struggle to push the words past her vocal cords. Stefan feels her brush past him, hearing the maintenance guy mumble something about how he has to go write up an incident report and hand it over to the store manager.

Stefan pauses for a moment near the elevator, exhaling heavily and thankfully sending out a silent prayer that he's alone with her again. But, soon he regrets it when Katherine spins around, her high heels thumping against the concrete floor beneath them and her facial expression is nothing short of pissed off.

"You can't do that!" She shouts at him, her voice echoing loudly as Stefan crosses his arms over his chest and tilts his head to the side. He's slightly amused by her sudden anger.

"Excuse me? Do what?" He asks her, licking his bottom lip with his tongue as he notices that she's watching him with a look of something that he hasn't seen in her eyes in what he knows is a long time- desire and passion.

"You still love me." He points out, chuckling a little when he places his hands onto his hips and spreads his legs, watching her face redden as she tries desperately to deny the facts that are staring them both in the face.

"No, I don't. What you and I had was a long time ago. It was a high school romance! I'm an adult now and I certainly know better than to get involved with you again. I don't feel anything for you, not anymore." She retorts, closing the distance between them and attempting to push past him in the wide open space. But, the feeling of his firm grip against her wrist causes Katherine to stop and lock her watery eyes on to his intense green gaze.

"You've never been a good liar, Katherine. Even in high school, you sucked at it." Stefan says, leaning forward just a bit when he lifts his hand up and brushes a strand of her hair behind her ear, his eyes piercing into hers.

"Tell me that you don't love me anymore and that you don't care about me. Then, I'll let you go. I'll never bother you again. I promise. " Stefan insists, the feeling of his thumb rubbing softly up and down her wrist makes her weaken for a moment when she suddenly tries to own up to what she's been trying to avoid. Although, the memory of the night that he left her, breaks her heart all over again and she can't seem to admit to anything.

She looks up at him instead. Watching his intense gaze fade and it quickly becomes replaced with relief and sadness. "Please, Katherine. Stop avoiding me, stopping acting like we never happened. Because I know that we did and what we had meant something to you. I know that it did. Because, it meant something to me too and I screwed it up. I'm sorry."

She shakes her head, releasing her grasp from his when she bites down on her lower lip, placing her hand in front of her mouth nervously. He feels her remove her hand away, tears welling up into her eyes when she adds. " I blame myself for the things that happened and I'm sorry...I can't talk about this with you, Stefan. Not right now and not any time in the future."

He nods, watching her push past him with tears in her eyes. "Tell me, Katherine!" He nearly yells after her, watching her stop near the double doors when she spins back around to him and finally admits with a pained tone. "I love you, Stefan. You know that I still do! But, this..Walking away..It's easier."

"Easier for who? For me or for you? Because, being apart from you like this is killing me!" Stefan says, his voice is riddled with anger and disappointment when her brown eyes met his he can see it clearly. Katherine's face is damp and tear stained as her shaky voice falls when she concludes as she turns away from him and starts walking."For me. It's easier for me to be apart from you. Because, we hurt each other, Stefan. We're not good for one another."

He doesn't stop her when she walks away. He lets her go as he exhales heavily, he feels the damp tears fall down his own face when he whispers out into the still silence. " You're wrong, Katherine. You and I both know that you are wrong about us. I love you, alright? I love you. I just can't watch you walk away from me again, Katherine. Please, forgive me. Just, don't walk away again, Please, don't go."

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**A/N: Hope you liked it and thanks so much for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys! So, I promised TVDVampireKat another chapter...lol. Here is it. :)  
**

**Hope you all like it! **

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**Rumor Has It- Chapter Two **

"Damn it!" Katherine mumbles under her breath as she places her hand into her Michael Kors white clutch, searching for her cell phone.

"What's wrong?" Bonnie asks, smiling as she leans against a wall outside of the building. Their shifts have been over for about 20 minutes and as they had walked out, Katherine hadn't noticed anything was missing- until now.

"My cell phone. It's not in my purse and I most likely need to go back in there and get it." She replies, already making her way towards the double doors, turning back to Bonnie when she adds. "You can go, Bon. I'll just call you when I get home."

"But-." Bonnie begins to say, looking around the already darkened parking lot and wanting to tell her that she's not leaving. But, from the look on Katherine's face. It's evident that she doesn't want her there.

"This doesn't have to do with Stefan, does it? Do you think he took it?" Katherine hears Bonnie ask and spins around, lifting up her hands in the air and shrugging her shoulders back with a bit of tension and annoyance. "I don't know. But, I'm about to find out." She shouts, watching Bonnie bid her good luck as she starts walking back to her car. Katherine makes it to the doors,enters the store number on the keypad to get back inside and then pulls the door open.

When she walks in, it's quiet and most of the lights are already off. Most of the staff have already gone home for the night when Katherine passes the maintenance guy named Ralph as she walks back towards the break room, silently hoping that she doesn't run into anyone else.

"Forget something?" He asks, noticing that she looks distressed and tired, her hair in a loose ponytail and her makeup already beginning to melt off her face a little bit from her long day.

"My cell phone. I think it's probably still in the break room or something." She tells him, smiling when he nods. "Alright, I hope you find it. But, you shouldn't be in here." He warns, picking up the rest of his supplies as she watches him leave the store and she heads down a set of stairs towards the employee lounge.

* * *

"Where the hell is it!" Katherine exclaims, bending down under one of the tables in the break room to try and find her missing phone. But, she stops when she hears footsteps approaching.

"Anyone in here?" He asks, startling her so much so that when she lifts her head back up from under the table, she hits it- hard enough to possibly leave a bruise.

"Ouch!" Katherine shouts out in pain, holding the top of her head when she gets up and leans back into one of the chairs with her eyes closed. She didn't notice him. Not until she opened one of her eyes and took a moment to rub her head.

"Katherine?" Stefan asks with a small smile. It's funny, she thinks. The way she's been trying to avoid him and yet, at all costs- he still shows up anywhere she seems to be.

"I forgot my phone." She explains, opening both of her eyes as he walks further into the room. She watches his back tense a little as he pulls up a chair across from where she's sitting and places his hand into his jean pocket, tapping his other hand against the table and glancing up at her.

"About earlier.." He attempts to say as he notices that she's looking up at the clock on the wall that reads 10:15pm. She's avoiding him once again, distracting herself and her thoughts.

"Stefan, it's late and I need to get home. I don't have time to talk about this." She tries to say, hearing him sigh and watching when he runs his hands through his hair in frustration.

"You never have time to talk about this. About us. That's the problem." He proclaims as she gets up and extends out her hand to him. She's angry that he's talking about it, she's tired too and she just wants this day to be over. But, knowing him- he won't let it go.

"Give me my phone. Please, Stefan." She snaps, narrowing her brown eyes on to him as he looks up at and pulls out the cell phone, handing it back to her when he tries to explain. "I found it on the ground and I knew it was yours."

It's password protected, she reminds herself as she mutters out. "Thanks. Now, have a good night." She tells him, starting to walk out, hearing him following her. "It's late and you shouldn't be alone in that parking lot, waiting for the bus. It's not the safest of places to be. I'm done for the night too. I can drive you home." He offers, watching her stop and when she does, slowly turning back to him- he's hopeful for a moment.

Katherine swallows down her words. He's got her, right where he wants her and she knows it. Her shaking voice can be heard echoing throughout the room when she locks her eyes on to his and laughs out a nervous chuckle. "This was all a ploy. Wasn't it? The elevator and now finding my cell phone and taking it. You did this on purpose."

Stefan shrugs his shoulders back, attempting to hide the small smirk playing across his lips at her realization. It wasn't supposed to be a ploy..It just worked out in his favor and here they were, alone all over again.

"No, it wasn't at all. I promise. Listen, have a drink with me, right now? We can leave here and go to that favorite bar of yours, the one with the live music, Lakewood Landing. Please, Katherine. It's the only decent bar in all of Mystic Falls... I just want to talk to you." He's nearly begging her and she can see the desperation in his green gaze when he looks down at the floor because she's quiet for far too long.

"Fine. I'll hear you out and then, you'll drive me home. I'm hungry anyways, I could use some food and a drink." She finally replies, clutching her phone as she catches his side profile in her peripheral vision. He's smiling just a little as he nods. "Great." He says. "So could I." He adds, following her out of the store without another word.

* * *

Lakewood Landing is a crowded smoke filled place and the liquor is free flowing as they step into the small Mystic Falls bar. But, it's always been her favorite and Katherine has always felt the most comfortable here. Although tonight, she's feeling a bit uneasy when she feels Stefan's hand slide down against the middle of her back as they search for a pair of seats near the large plasma TV that's loud and has a few people crowded over it, throwing money down. She can hear the patrons arguing loudly as they bet on a football game that's playing on the TV set and when she glances over at them. She's happy that she can't recognize anyone.

"I forgot how packed this bar was on a Saturday night." She muses, stepping away from his touch as Stefan grabs her hand and pulls her towards the front of the bar area, taking a seat just as the tall and dark haired bartender glances up at them with a friendly smile. "Ah, Stefan Salvatore and Katherine Pierce. Nice to see you two again." He says with a grin, placing a white rag over his shoulder as he watches them give each other a knowing look.

"So, what can I get started for you two tonight?" He asks them. Katherine leans forward, pushing her long brown curly hair to the side as she clears her throat and smiles with a look of sudden seriousness. "Give me the strongest drink you have. I'm going to need it."

Stefan lifts up his hand, taking out his wallet and throwing a 20 dollar bill against the brown and rusted looking table top as he chimes in. "Give us a bottle of your best and strongest whiskey. And two shot glasses. Thanks."

Katherine lifts up her eyebrows at him, tilting her head to the side as he gives her a small smile. "You said you wanted something strong." He winks, watching her roll her eyes when she taps her plum colored high heels against the chair and looks straight ahead, not daring to look at him as she speaks loudly enough for him and a few others to hear. "So, here we are, just like we used to do a few years ago. In a very familiar place. What do you want to talk about?"

Stefan places his elbows on the table, placing his chin against his hands when he looks over at her and says. "I meant what I said earlier. I'm still in love with you." She's quite suddenly, shrugging her shoulders back and giving him a sympathetic look.

"You shouldn't be, Stefan. We broke up and we both messed up our relationship in the process. Everything that we went through…We just changed because of it. We grew apart..." She wants so badly to finish her sentence. Although, it's too hard and he notices that the tears have returned once more just at the mention of what they both know had been the cause of their downfall.

"I can't stop thinking about you...Everything, reminds me of you." He admits, glancing up at her as she looks up over at him. Her cheeks are red, her eyes are glazed over when she abruptly gets up from her chair and pushes past a few people in the bar. She isn't really sure why she's running from him. But, once she steps outside and into the back alley way. Katherine finally feels her lungs expand and a fresh gust of air makes her feel better momentarily- until the doors push open and he's standing there, locking his intense forest green eyes on to her.

"You moved out and I thought that you'd come back...I waited for you." She blurts out, her voice getting smaller and smaller when she adds in. "I waited for six months! In an unfurnished apartment space, with the engagement ring and with a few unpacked boxes all around me. I waited, because I thought that you'd come back and that we'd be okay..I thought that we could live the life we had planned together. Even after everything that happened between us."

Stefan exhales heavily, creating a foggy plume of air as he steps in front of her, placing his cold hands onto each side of her over heated cheeks, staring directly into her tormented brown eyes. "I waited for you to tell me that you still loved me….That we were going to be okay." She repeats, inhaling sharply as his thumbs run across her skin.

"I'm sorry, okay. It was hard on me too! Don't you get that? I wanted to marry you, Katherine. I didn't think you'd find the box. But, you did and then, we stopped talking. Katherine, you shut yourself out to me and that was it! Because, you wanted to rather act like it never happened!" Stefan shouts, releasing his touch from her and taking a step back, She watches him run his hands through his hair when he heaves out a breath.

She's crying, leaning against the red brick wall as she wipes away at her tears. She hates it, the pain that she caused him and the fact that he left not long after. She hates the fact that she's to blame for their miscarriage.

"Because, it's easier. Wasn't it? You left first and then, I didn't have to stay. I never wanted this, Stefan! I never wanted to see you again, I never wanted to be near you after it happened because I felt like I caused it all. I made you move out. Don't you see that I blame myself for what happened? I blame myself because I didn't take care of myself. I was 19 years old and just starting out my life as an adult in New York. I was too stressed out and too young to handle it..I…didn't know...I didn't know about the baby until it was too late.." Her voice breaks, as he leans forward, kissing her forehead and pulling her against his chest without a word as she sobs into the curve of his neck and repeatedly says. "I'm sorry, I am so sorry."

"I'm sorry too." He tells her softly, holding on to her tightly in his arms as he feels her push away from him. Her hair attaches to his face a bit and he brushes it back with his fingertips, the small gesture makes her exhale and lean against him. The street light above them outside of the building shines as he too breathes out a breath when he states. "You need to know that and I wanted to come back, I wanted to. I just, after you told me about the pregnancy and after we lost the baby.. I needed some time to be on my own. So, I tried going back to school. But, I couldn't do it without you there. It was too hard."

"Three years together. We were happy- for three years. I loved you, I loved you so much." She tells him, thinking about the span of their relationship and the fact that they both had to hide it from everyone for that long. Up until the point where everyone Katherine worked with, started talking about her and Stefan. The painful news of the details of them being together and their circumstances were spun into nothing but rumors and untruthful tales around the college town where they both lived.

" But, once people started finding out about us at the old store and around campus in New York, the rumors grew and I had to come back home to Mystic Falls. I had no other choice. I thought no one was going to know about what happened back then at this new place between us. Because no one really remembered me here. However, the rumors followed me here too. That's why I've been avoiding you. I didn't want people knowing that we knew each other. Truthfully, the moment I saw you around the store. I wanted nothing to do with you. Although, it didn't take long for people to find out about us and start asking me questions about you." She admits as she shakes her head and takes a few steps back, turning away from him when she suddenly feels his hand being placed on to her shoulder.

" I don't blame you, for what happened. I never did. It wasn't your fault. You had taken on a lot of stress after high school and it was just, it took a toll on your body." He replies softly, watching her slowly turn around as she finally looks up at him, walking over slowly. He closes his eyes when he feels her placing her warm hand onto his cold cheek, stroking her thumbs against the stumble that's formed just around his jawline.

"I was 2 months pregnant, Stefan. I should have stepped back from the stress of school and taken care of myself. But, I wanted more than anything to push forward and succeed. Being at NYU was my dream and I knew I couldn't just lose it all. So, I piled on the stress and instead of being careful. I was reckless and stupid. I'm the reason we're not together anymore. It's all because of me." Katherine reflects, leaning her head against his shoulder as she delicately whispers into his ear. "Please, just take me home..Please, I just want to go."

* * *

She's too tired to argue with him when she realizes that they aren't in front of her house. But, in front of his two story townhouse on the outskirts of the city. The lights are all off and there's an old rolled up newspaper sitting in front of his door as he glances over at her. He reaches over for her, relieved that she isn't fighting him when he takes her hand into his own touch and kisses her palm with his lips.

The small sensation, the warmth she feels when he touches her causes her eyes to tear away from the lock they have on the park that's across from his small gated community. "Stay with me tonight. And, I can drive you home in the morning." He promises as she glances over at him. He can sense it, without her saying anything. It's evident that she's uncomfortable with the idea of staying over. But, she plays it off with a small smile and opens the car door, stepping out into the dark night and crossing her arms over her light blue button up jacket that she's wearing.

She watches him lock the doors to his red Honda Civic and walk up beside her, placing his hand on to the small of her back once again. Because, he's not really sure how she'd react if he tried to hold her hand like he did in the bar. He doesn't want to make her uncomfortable. Yet, he knows that he probably already has by bringing her to the one place she doesn't want to clearly be at tonight.

" It took me a long time to get over the fact that I was alone, after you left." She suddenly says, hearing the door open when Stefan unlocks it and pushes inside of his house, turning on the porch lights and telling her to watch her step when she follows him inside.

"It took me a long time to get over the fact that you said you wouldn't marry me." He states, turning to look back at her and helping her take her jacket off. She watches him place it on the armrest of the couch. Stefan smiles when he notices her nose crinkle. "You haven't done anything new with your place..It still looks the same, smells the same too." She observes, looking around the room and exhaling deeply when she hears him ask. "Are you still hungry?"

Katherine nods, licking her lips involuntarily when she see's him step into the kitchen, turning on the light and taking out a cutting board.

"I have some stuff here that I could make us." He smiles, seeing that she's sat down on the brown leather couch in the small sized living room, placed her shoes next to the coffee table and it just about to turn on the TV when he asks her. "Do you still like chicken cacciatore?"

His cooking was amazing and she remembers it well. As she nods once more and goes back to flipping through the channels on the TV. But, something makes her get up and walk over to him. Maybe it's the fact that she feels so out of place in his house now, maybe it's because she knows that once the sun comes up, this will be over and they'll go back to barely knowing each other- that it will be like a dream.

"Do you need help?" She asks him, watching him line up a row of celery on to the cutting board and begin chopping as he glances over at her and says. "I've missed this. I've missed us."

Katherine wraps her arms around her stomach and leans her back against the edge of the counter when she admits. "I've missed this too."

"You know, I haven't cooked in a long time. So, I hope that this isn't too horrible." He reveals, hearing when she laughs a little and replies with in teasing tone. "What? You don't cook for anyone special anymore. Hm, what a shame. Look, whatever you make, Stefan. I'm sure it would be better than anything I could make us. I'd burn your kitchen down."

"You want to bet on that?" He jokes with her, a calming and warm feeling washes over him when he feels her hand being placed against his back and she leans into him a little, whispering. "I'd still lose."

She's noticed that he's stopped cutting and has placed the knife down, wiping his hands off a white kitchen rag. And, the moment he turns around to face her. Stefan's green eyes are filled with yearning and wanting. She can see that his face is hopefully when his hand lifts and he touches her face. His fingertips lifting up her chin, pulling her closer.

"I'm sorry." He tells her again, watching as she closes her tired looking eyes and leans into him again, this time their lips are just inches apart and she can smell the mint flavoring of his gum in his mouth. She whispers softly. "I am too."

He brushes a strand of her hair back, his rough skin stroking her cheek when he pulls her close and kisses her. The kiss is delicate, simple and yet filled with an underlined passion that he knows she feels too. Katherine smiles against his lips, wrapping her arms around his neck and making it so that their bodies have no space in between. "Don't leave me again." She tells him, leaning her forehead against his when they break away from the kiss.

Katherine's eyes meet his, licking her chapped lips as she whispers in a barely there tone. "Please. I can't go through that again."

"I love you. I never stopped loving you." He declares, taking a hold of her hand and leading her out of the kitchen, watching as she gives him a puzzled look and then he clarifies hesitantly. "Come upstairs with me."

* * *

She feels her back being pressed down against the mattress as he lifts his shirt over his head and tosses it on to the bedroom. Stefan's knee is in between her legs when he leans down to capture her lips against his own in a searing kiss. His lips part from Katherine's for a moment as he brushes a strand of her hair out of her eyes and stares intently down at her. She lifts her arms up and pulls him down against her. Hearing him whispering softly. "Are you sure about this?"

Katherine stops and nods. She's smiling just a little when she swallows down her doubts that she has. She isn't really sure about anything to be honest. But, she misses him and she's sick of hiding it, sick of avoiding her true feelings for the man that she's loved more than anyone in her life.

Stefan feels her fingertips brush across his chin, her thumb touching the tip of his chin as her eyes look at him as if she's searching for answers, ones that she knows she has to find within herself before she can seek them in him. "Stefan, I love you. And, being away from you, forcing myself to be away from you was the hardest thing that I have ever had to do." She confesses, watching him lean down towards her, kissing her cheek when she exhales and pulls him closer.

"Stay." He murmurs again, hopefully this time that she'll consider his request. He watches her brown eyes soften, a small smile curling up at the corners of her mouth when he repeats it once more. "Stay the night with me...Please."

"Okay." She states, her voice is low and their faces are just inches apart when she leans forward and kisses his lips softly, deepening the kiss as she feels his hand slide under her back and his arms pull her up towards him so that he's sitting up with her in his lap.

"I'm serious. I don't want to wake up in the morning without you." He warns as she pushes back. Katherine's legs are on each side of his waistline. Wrapping themselves around his back as she sits in his lap and stares meaningfully into his green gaze as she replies. "You won't."

Katherine watches him come towards her, the scent of mint and a mildly scented soap consume her scenes when he opens his mouth to add something just as meaningful to their conversation. But, Katherine quickly stops him. "I'm not leaving, Stefan. Not this time." She reassures him, running her fingers through his hair as she clasps her hands together behind his neck and senses her body being pushed back into the mattress. Her body falls back when his hands begin to fumble with the buttons to her dark purple dress shirt, undoing just a few of them to reveal her black lacy bra underneath it.

Stefan kisses her neck, working his way down to the middle of her chest as she turns her head to the side and lets out a breathy moan. She pauses, clasping their hands together and feeling his fingers tighten around hers. Katherine smiles just a little wider when she feels her heart beat quicken and she kisses his chest, running her hands over his hot and soft skin as she listens to him groan and feels him place his hands over her stomach, leaning down to kiss the olive colored flesh. She sighs out a breath into the stillness of the room, locking her eyes onto his when she pleads. "Make love to me, Stefan."

* * *

**A/N: Would it be mean if I just left it here and didn't add in one more chapter? **

**Possibly to be continued... ;)**

**Thanks so much for reading!**


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